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A Guide To Mexican Candy: Candied Fruits And Other Confections

Mexican candy makes me giddy. I don’t know if it’s the anticipation of a sugar rush or the explosion of flavors I know I’m about to experience. Mexican candied fruit which is also known as “Fruta Cristalizada” in Spanish, has a hard sugary outer exterior and a soft fruit center. The candied fruit is made with real fruit of course, many of them are still in their original shape. When I was a little girl there use to be a Mexican candy right down the street from my house. I would venture over there on a weekly basis, and buy a piece or two from the little old woman that ran the shop. I don’t think the shop was open to the public, but she knew I was curious about the candied fruit she was making so she would allow me to stick around and watch her in action. I was hooked at a young age. Mexican candy will forever be one of my favorite types of confections, and one people should definitely experience.

PRICKLY PEAR CANDY – TUNAS

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Tunas are the pretty pink bulbs that grow out of the cactus plant and are also known as prickly pear.

QUINCE JAM – MEMBRILLO

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This delicious quince jam is also known as membrillo and pairs extremely well with manchego cheese or any cheese for that matter. Cut a slice off and add it to your next grilled cheese and you will swear you’ve been to Nirvana.

CANDIED CHILACAYOTE

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Chilacayote is part of the squash family known for it’s white flesh and black seeds and taste even better candied.

SWEET POTATO – CAMOTE

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If you are a fan of sweet potato, then this is a must try. This candied fruit is better known as “camote” throughout Mexico.

OBLEAS

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Obleas are one of my favorites. Two paper thin wafers sandwich cajeta which is goat’s milk caramel. Yes, yes, yes!!!!

COCADA – MILK COCONUT CANDY

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Hands down the most popular of all the Mexican candy….. a simple coconut bar holds the key to many hearts.

DULCE DE MANZANA – APPLE

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Cut in half, and candied as is. Crunch through for a delicious treat you’ll never want to be without.

LIMONES RELLENOS DE COCO – COCONUT STUFFED LIMES

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This is one of the most genius creations this planet knows. A very thin key lime peel is candied and then stuffed with sweet candied coconut. The combination is exotic and sublime (no pun intended). It’s said to have been one of Frida Kahlo’s favorites, and I know exactly why.

PINA – CANDIED PINEAPPLE

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This is a no brainer. Not only does this make for a lovely piece of candy, it also would be perfect perched on the side of a margarita!

MAZAPAN

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A crumbly candy made of peanuts and sugar. It is smooth to the tongue and melts in your mouth. A Mexican candy keeper, unlike any other.

CAMOTE ROJO – RED SWEET POTATO CANDY

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The red sweet potato candy almost has slight hints of honey to it. I could nibble on it all day.

HIGOS – CANDIED FIGS

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Although I do enjoy eating these figs on their own, I can imagine they would be spectacular in a salad as well.

CALABAZA – PUMPKIN CANDY

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This pumpkin confection is very common and super tasty. What I love best about it is as you bite into the candy it becomes stringy and filled with sweet pumpkin flavor.

CACAHUATES GARAPINADOS – MEXICAN TOFFEE PEANUTS

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Let the red toffee allure you to grab a handful of these delicious toffee peanuts. Not dry like the American peanuts we have come to know and love, but more on the sticky side. This is not considered a bad thing in my book, it just means they clump together more, for a merrier bite.

Article Posted 5 years Ago

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Content provided on this site is for entertainment or informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical or health, safety, legal or financial advice. Click here for additional information.